Kitty gets her claws out
by cybertoothtiger
Summary: Kitty and Jack have lunch and talk about Teri


"Jack, I have a Katherine Gazle on Line 1 for you?"

"Thanks, Jamie. I'll take it in my office." Jack jogged up the stairs. He'd recently been promoted to Special Agent in Charge of CTU. He loved the work, but having an office up these stairs was a pain in the ass. They helped keep him in shape, though.

He slid behind his desk and picked up the phone.

"Hi, Kitty. Good to hear from you." His voice was warm and friendly. He truly liked his wife's best friend, and appreciated the many times she and her husband had helped Teri out while he'd been away. It had been far too long since the two couples had gotten together.

"Hi, Jack." Kitty swallowed.

Jack tensed, immediately alert at the nervousness in her voice. "Is there something wrong, Kitty?" She was one of the few people who knew where he really worked, but she'd never called him here before.

"No, no, not at all," she hastened to re-assure him. "Listen, I was in the neighbourhood and wondered if you were free for lunch?"

Her words did not completely succeed at putting Jack at ease. The semi-industrial area around CTU wasn't the kind of neighbourhood that people 'just happened' to be in. Still, she was a good friend and he was curious. He called up his schedule on the monitor in front of him. "Yeah, I think I could do that. Can you give me twenty minutes?"

"Of course."

"Okay." He named a café. "I'll meet you there."

Jack was right. Kitty had nothing else to do in the neighbourhood, so she went straight to the café. It looked like the 'before' pictures in the design magazines she had brought with her to kill some time. Hard metal chairs covered in nasty rough brown fabric, and tables featuring a star motif that aspired to retro but settled for out of date. A dusty plastic fig tree stood in one corner.

Kitty cringed inwardly and chose a table in the back. The lunch rush hadn't begun, but if it got busy at least they would have a little privacy. The handwritten menu board offered the usual BLTs, hamburgers and variations on grilled cheese. She took out a magazine, but she couldn't concentrate. She wasn't sure if she was doing the right thing. It really wasn't any of her business what went on between Jack and Teri.

She was about to change her mind and leave when Jack walked in, taking off his sunglasses and putting them in his shirt pocket. He nodded a greeting to the woman behind the counter and strode towards Kitty. She was always impressed at the way the man could exude power and confidence just in the way he walked. She stood up as he approached.

"Kitty." Jack gave her a quick, friendly hug.

"Hi Jack. Thanks for meeting me." They made small talk as they ordered their food and sat down with their bottles of water to make up for all the extra calories in their meals. Both of them preferred to treat their bodies well when they could.

Jack took a swig of water and leaned back in his chair, raising an eyebrow at Kitty. "So?"

Kitty poured her water into a glass and took a sip. "Thanks for meeting me."

"Yeah, you said that already. What's on your mind?"

She took a deep breath. _Here goes._ "Jack, there's something I need to talk to you about."

He leaned forward, resting an arm on the table. "Whatever it is, Kitty, I'm listening." He could see how uncomfortable she was and wanted to make it easier for her.

"Jack, I…" She looked out the window at the cars in the parking lot. She looked back. "This is difficult for me." He nodded. "I saw you, Jack."

He cocked his head, unsure. "Saw me? Saw me where?"

She named a street in a less desirable part of town. His mind ran through all the many things she might have seen him doing there. He waited, a feeling of dread putting a knot in his stomach. "About a month ago. I saw you with a woman, Jack." He nodded slowly. To his credit, he blushed slightly and looked down at the table.

"I'm sorry you had to see that, Kitty," he said quietly. He wasn't sure what exactly she'd seen, and wasn't about to ask. But if she had watched him with Nancy, Teri's friend had reason to be upset.

"Jack, listen. I know it's none of my business – " She rushed, feeling the relief of finally being able to talk about this. He stopped her with a look.

"With all due respect, Kitty, you're right. It's not."

She'd been prepared for this. "Listen, Jack – "

"No, Kitty, _you_ listen." He put his hand on her arm and leaned in close to her face, making sure he wouldn't be overheard. His voice was low, but every word was crystal clear. "I was doing my _job_. It's not pretty, but it's a part of what I do. Sometimes I have to do things that none of us like."

She shivered at the menace in his voice. No wonder his career was rising so fast. She wouldn't want to be in the bad guy's shoes. But she was no shrinking violet. "Oh yeah? Well, it didn't look to me like you were _hating_ it so much," she hissed sarcastically, keeping her voice low as well. "You seemed to be having a pretty good time."

"I had to make it convincing." He snarled.

"Then I guess you're pretty good at your _job_." She shook off his hand and took another sip of water.

He sat back and regarded her for a moment. He sighed and ran his hand through his hair.

"Look, Kitty, I don't know what you want from me here. Do you want me to say that I'll stop? Because I can't tell you that. Sometimes it's necessary. Sometimes a lot of things are necessary."

She looked at him seriously. "I want you to tell Teri."

He looked out the window, then back at her. "I can't do that, Kitty. You know I'm not allowed to talk about my work. It might put her in danger."

"I think she has a right to know."

He leaned forward on the table, resting his head in his hands for a long moment before he spoke. "How would that help anything?" He looked up at her, his eyes full of pain. "I can't tell, her, Kitty. I can't do that to her."

For the first time, she almost felt sympathy for him. She reached forward and touched his arm.

"Do you still love her, Jack?"

"Of course. You have to know that."

"Do you at least use protection?"

He jerked away. "God! Kitty!"

She stared at him calmly. "Well?"

"What do you take me for?"

She raised her eyebrows. He had to admit she had a point.

"_Yes_, I use protection," he answered truthfully. After the first time when he had waited on tenterhooks for the results from the clinic, he had decided that was one risk he was not prepared to take. And he had realized the women he might have to be with were not likely to be the most reliable girls in the world. The last thing he wanted was for someone like that to be carrying his accidental offspring.

He pushed his plate of greasy food away. "So what are you going to do? Are you going to tell her?"

She shook her head. "It's not my place, Jack." She hated the relief she saw in his eyes. She leaned in close to him, and this time it was her voice that held menace. "But listen, you bastard: If you hurt her in _any_ way, I _will_ come after you. I will make your life miserable in ways you can't even _imagine_."

Jack smiled at her tenderly. The idea that this 5'2" pixie of a woman, whom he knew to be the kindest person imaginable, the idea that she thought she could intimidate him… well, it was sweet, really. His wife was lucky to have someone like her in her corner. He pulled out his wallet and counted out money for the food.

"I understand." He stood up. "I think we're done here, Kitty." He leaned down and kissed her gently on the cheek. "Thank you," he whispered. Then he turned and walked out, putting on his sunglasses as he hit the bright sunlight outside.

**- Fin -**


End file.
